Starting mechanism for gas-engines.



No. 889,886. I l PATENTBDJUNE 9,19oa..

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STARTING MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED DEO..11, 1907.

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PATENT-ED JUNE 9, 1903. w. K. ANDREW? STARTING MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINE APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 1907. r

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35 a I permitting it to move longitudinally along said shaft. -The valve is' preferably made UNITED STATES PATENT osmon WILLIAM. K. ANDREW, Owl MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL HAR- VESTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

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No. ssaase.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed December 11, 1907. Serial No. $05,981.

To all whom it may concern: 7

B6 it known that I, WJLLIAM K. ANDREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukce, in the county of Milwaukee and source of supply for the same; its object being to provide a mechanism that may be convenlently manipulated, and one that will be eficctive for the purpose described. These objects are attained by the mechanism illus-' which t Figure 1 re resents a side elevation of the starting mec ianism, secured to the base frame of an engine. Fig.2 is an end view of Fig. l. of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on line A-B.

trated in the accompanying drawing, in

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a part of an engine base frame.

2 is a cam-shaft which may be 0 erated from the engine by means of any of t e wellknown forms of mechanism, whereby the shaft is given one revolution for each two of the engine shaft, as is common in the construction of four cycle engines.

3 re resents a rotary valve, secured to the cam-s aft by means of a key 4,1na manner slightly conical and, projecting beyond the end of the cam-shaft, is provided with an end wall 5 inclosing the same. i,

6 represents an annular channel encircling the valve, which channel is provided with diametrically arranged openings- 7 through its outer wall, and similarly arranged but smaller openings 8 through its inner wall.

The valve is received by a casing 9, that is secured to the bascframe by means of bolts 10, and 11 and, 12 designate inlet and outlet ports therein, communicating with a source of compressed. air suppl by means of a pi e connection 13, and wit 1 an engine cylin er by means of a pipe connection 14, respectively. and the cylinder may include any preferred form of valve mechanism adapted to be ad- Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of part The connections between pipe 14 justed in a manner to admit air from the starting mechanism, or gas from the mixing chamber to said cylinder at the will of the operator. A common form of valve 15 in pipe 13 controls the admission of compressed air to the valve case, and a similar valve may be used in pipe 14 if desired.

The valve casing is provided with 8110K? haust channel 16, having one end communieating with the pipe 14 and its opposite end forming a port 17 adapted to communicate with the annular channel 6 in the valve, which port is arranged at an angle of 90 degrees with the inlet and outlet ports 11 and 12; and 18 represents an exhaust port through said casing communicating with the at1nosphere by means of ipe 19, which port is arranged diametrical y opposite the port 17.- The" cam-shaft is provided with a-transverse opening 20 that communicates with the annular channel 6 by means of small ports 8 through the inner wall of the valve, and an axial opening 22 leading from said transverse opening to a small chamber 23, between the end of the shaft and the end wall 5 of the valve. V

A cap 24 issecured to the valve casing, and

i 25 designates a bolt received by said cap and provided with a conical head 26 adapted to contact with the wall 5, and, passing through an opening in the cap, is'provided with a nut 27 at its outer end. 7 V

28 designates a spring surrounding the bolt and operative to press it against the end wallof the valve.

29 designatesa plate interposed between the nut ,27 and the cap and adapted to be rotated thereon, and 30 designates face-cams formed on the cap 2-4, which cams are adapt ed to engage with other opposing similar cams 31 forming a art of plate29, in a manner to cause said p ate to move outward and disengage the bolt from the valve.

Secured to the stem of the valve 15 is a lever 32 that overhangs the valve casing, and 33 designates a laterally projecting stud secured tosaid lever and adapted to engage with a notch 34 formed in the periphery of the plate 29 in a manner to cause said plate to rot-ate when said lever is moved for the purpose of opening or closing the air admission valve 15.

The mechanism operates in the following manner to start the engine: With the piston in position to begin its power stroke, the air admission valve is opened by means of the lever, which lever in its movement will rotate plate 29, and the opposing cam surfaces on said plate and cap 24 will cause the plate to move against nut 27 and disengage bolt 25 from contact with the rotary valve; and the pressure of the air flowing from the annular channel in the valve through the openings in the cam-shaft into chamber 23 will cause the valve to be closely seated in the casing; it being understood that the rotation of the rotary valve is so timed by means of its connection with the cam shaft as toopen the air inlet and outlet'ports 1 1 and 12 when the piston'is inposition to begin its power stroke,- and the air flowing into the engine cylinder propels the piston during such stroke, and the exhaust ports being opened at the end of the power stroke, the air charge is exhausted,

and by the rotation of the valve the engine continues to operate as a compressed air engine until the operator, by means of the lever 32, closes the admission valve, which operation turns the plate 29 in a manner to release the spring pressed bolt 25 which will then contact wit the valve in a manner to slide it through the valve casing and separate it from its seat therein.

What I claim as-my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1. A starting mechanism for gas engines comprising, in combination, a cam shaft, a rotary valve connected with said cam shaft in a manner to be rotated therewith, a valve casing havin said valve mounted therein, said casing aving inlet and outlet ports communicatin with a source of compressed air supply and an engine cylinder, respectively, and inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, respectively, said rotary valve having a channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately.

2. A starting mec ianism for gas engines comprising, in combination, a cam shaft, a rotary, conical valve secured to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longitudinally movable thereon, a valve casing having said valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating. with a source of compressed air supply and an engine cylinder, respectively, and inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, respectively, said rotary valve having a channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, and means communicating with said air supply and operative to move said valve longitwlinally relative to said casing;

3. A starting mechanism' for gas engines comprising, in combination, a cam shaft,v a rotary, conical valve keyed to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longit1idinally movable thereon, said valve inclosmg 1 the end of said-cam shaft, a fixed valve casmg having said valve mounted therein,'said casinghaving inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of compressed air suply and an engine cylinder, respectively, and inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, res ectively, said rotary valve having an annu ar channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, said cam shaft having an opening therein that permits air to flow from said channel against said valve in a manner to press it closely into said valve casing.

4. A starting mechanism for gas engines comprising, in combination, an engine frame, a cam shaft mounted in bearings u on said frame, a rotary, conical valve keye shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be 10 itudinally movable thereon, the smaller en of said valve extending beyond the end to said of said shaft and inclosing the same, a valve casing secured to'said frame and having said valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of compressed air supply and the engine cylinder, respectively, and inlet and out- .let exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, respectively, said valve having an annular channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, a cap secured to said valve casing, a spring mounted in said cap and operative. against the smaller end of sai valve in amanner to move the same from its seat in said casing.

5. A starting mechanism for gas engines comprising-in combination, an engine frame,

a camshaft mounted in bearings u on said frame, a rotary, conical valve keye to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longitudinally movable thereon, the smaller end of said valve extending beyond the end of said shaft and inelosing the same, a valve casing secured to said frame and having said valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of compressed air supply and the engine cylinder, respectively, and inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, respectivel y, said valve having an annular channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, a cap secured to said valve casing, a. spring pressed bolt mounted in said cap and operative against the smaller end of said valve in a manner to move the same from its seat-in said casing, and means for withdrawing said bolt from contact with said, valve.

6. A startingmechanism for gas engines com ')rising, in combination, an engine frame, a cam .sh'al't mounted in bearings u on said frame, a rotary, conical valve keye to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longitudinally movable thereon, the smaller end of said valve extending beyond the end of said shaft and inclosing the same, a valve casing secured to said frame and having said valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of compressed air supply and the engme cylinder, respectively, and inlet and outlet ports connnunu-atmg with the engine withdrawing said bolt from contactwitlrsaid valve, said means comprising face cams form- 'ing part of said cap, a plate rotatably mounted upon said cap and operatively connected with said spring pressed bolt, said plate having opposini, face cams adapted to engage with. the cams on said cap, and means for rotating said plat-e.

7. A starting mechanism for gas engines comprising, in combil'iation, an engine frame, a cam shaft mounted in bearings 11 )on said frame, a rotary, conical valve keyed to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longitudinally movable thereon, the smaller end of said valve extending beyond the end of said shaft and inclosii'ig the same, a valve casing secured to said frame and having said valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of eompressed air supply and the engine cylinder, respectively, a connection from the source of air supply with said air inlet comprising an admission valve, inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating with the engine cylinder and atmosphere, respectively, said rotary valve having an annular channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, a cap secured to said valve casing, a sprang-pressed bolt. mounted in said cap and operative against the smaller-end of said rotary valve iii a '1 nanner to move the same from its seat in said casing, and means for withdrawing said bolt from contact with said valve, said means being controlled by a lever connected with said air admission valve.

8. A starting mechanism for gas engines comprising, in combination, an engine frame, a cam shaft mounted in bearings u on said frame, a rotary, conical valve keye to said shaft in a manner to rotate therewith and be longitudinally movable thereon, the smaller end of said valve extending beyond the end of said shaft and inclosing the same, a valve casing secured to said frame and having said rotary valve mounted therein, said casing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a source of compressed air supply and the engine'cylinder, respectively, a connection from the source of air supply with said air inlet comprising an admission valve, inlet and outlet exhaust ports communicating wlth the engine cylinder and atmosphere,

respectively, said rotary valvehavingan annular channel that communicates with said air and exhaust ports alternately, a cap cams on said cap, said-plate having a notch in its peri hery, a lever adapted to control said air ad inission valve, and a stud secured to said lever and adapted to engage with the notch in said plate.

WILLIAM K. ANDREW.

Witnesses B. C. WAIT,

F. R. FLYNN. 

